ANST - Banners on Spears

[Gunnora Hallakarva]

I have to point out that at several wars the relatively inexperienced
Bjornsborg women fought as banner bearers using banners tied to spears, and
carrying a sidearm.  At the War That The Chiggers Won, the Ladies' Banner
Corps successfully fought and killed the Midrealm king's huscarl bodyguard
and would have taken him captive had he not suicided rather than be
captured by "a gaggle of women".  We had trained together less than a
month, and most of the women had only been in armor four weeks.

People do not expect a spear on a banner pole.  I killed a infamous duke at
the first Catbox War that Bjornsborg went to -- I had the Bjornsborg banner
on a spear, and my mace, and I was separated from the rest of my unit.  The
duke saw me and sauntered over, figuring to make short work of me.  I saw
the strawberry leaf coronet on his bascinet and thought to myself, "Oh, my.
 This is going to hurt!!"  As he came into spear range, I dropped the
banner and drove it into his face.  He blinked and said, "Is that a spear
on that banner?"  I admitted that it was and he gracefully fell over dead.
Total time that the banner was dipped down was less than three seconds.

Ideally, the banner bearers are behind the lines and don't fight.  But when
the enemy breaks through, it is better that the banners be dipped a moment
or two than to suffer the ignomy of having the foe capture your banners,
now isn't it?  For this reason it's also a good idea to detail a bodyguard
or two armed sword and shield to protect the banner corps.


Wæs Þu Hæl (Waes Thu Hael)

::GUNNORA::

Gunnora Hallakarva
Herskerinde
<><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><>
Ek eigi visa þik hversu oðlask Lofstirrlauf-Kruna heldr hversu na Hersis-Aðal
(Ek eigi thik hversu odhlask Lofstirrlauf-Kruna heldr hversu na Hersis-Adhal)

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